6. He was very Charitable to the poor; The age we live in, though it hath the Lamp of Profession, yet little of the Oil of Charity; 'Tis the sin of many rich men though they have a flourishing estate, yet they have a withered hand, *and cannot stretch it out to good uses. It was a serious and weighty speech of Chrysostom. Feed (saith he) the hungry with your Charity while you live, that you feed not the fire of hell when you dye. †There was a Temple erected at Athens, which they called the Temple of mercy; it was dedicated to Charitable uses; And there could not be a greater reproach laid upon any man, then to upbraid him with this, that he had not been in the Temple of mercy. This may be the reproach of many rich men in this City, that though they sometimes visit Gods Temple, in the frequenting public Ordinances, yet they are seldom or never seen in the Temple of mercy. They can drink in a full cup themselves, but will not let one drop fall beside to refresh the bowels of the poor; Their arguments conclude still in Celarent. As for this our friend deceased I must herein be his [Greek or Hebrew], and let it be his garland ⟨p. 30⟩now he is gone. He had not only an Estate, but an heart; though I often went to him for works of Charity, he used not to make any excuse (which is only an handsome denial) but his fingers dropped with the myrrh of liberality, which is a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour to God; *He had indeed a free and noble spirit; he sailed equal between two rocks; he avoided vain profuseness, he hated a sordid penuriousness. When I came to him on his death-bed, he told me that sin was the burden of his life, and that he cast himself only upon the merits of Christ, but saith he, How hard do I find it to believe; which words were dropped out with many tears. 'Tis better to Complain then presume. I might expatiate but I shall here contract my sails. These things were commendable in him, †and imitable by us. Here was good fruit which did adorn the Tree. It will be our wisdom to Copy out what we see good in others, and to walk so unblameably in holiness, that while we live we may have good hope through grace of a part and interest in Christ; and when we dye, may receive that Crown of Righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge shall give at that day to all them who love his appearing.
6. He was very Charitable to the poor; The age we live in, though it hath the Lamp of Profession, yet little of the Oil of Charity; 'Tis the sin of many rich men though they have a flourishing estate, yet they have a withered hand, *and cannot stretch it out to good uses. It was a serious and weighty speech of Chrisostom. Feed (saith he) the hungry with your Charitie while you live, that you feed not the fire of hell when you dye. †There was a Temple erected at Athens, which they called the Temple of mercy; it was dedicated to Charitable uses; And there could not be a greater reproach laid upon any man, then to upbraid him with this, that he had not been in the Temple of mercy. This may be the reproach of many rich men in this Citie, that though they somtimes visit Gods Temple, in the frequenting publick Ordinances, yet they are seldom or never seen in the Temple of mercy. They can drinke in a full cup themselves, but will not let one drop fall beside to refresh the bowells of the poor; Their arguments conclude still in Celarent. As for this our friend deceased I must herein be his 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, and let it be his garland ⟨p. 30⟩now he is gone. He had not onely an Estate, but an heart; though I often went to him for works of Charity, he used not to make any excuse (which is onely an handsome denyall) but his fingers drop'd with the myrrhe of liberality, which is a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour to God; *He had indeed a free and noble spirit; he sailed equall between two rocks; he avoided vain profusness, he hated a sordid penuriousness. When I came to him on his death-bed, he told me that sin was the burden of his life, and that he cast himselfe only upon the merits of Christ, but saith he, How hard do I find it to believe; which words were dropped out with many teares. 'Tis better to Complain then presume. I might expatiate but I shall here contract my sails. These things were commendable in him, †and imitable by us. Here was good fruit which did adorn the Tree. It will be our wisdome to Copy out what we see good in others, and to walk so unblameably in holiness, that while we live we may have good hope through grace of a part and interest in Christ; and when we dye, may receive that Crown of Righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge shall give at that day to all them who love his appearing.
- *Luke 6. 6.
- †[Greek or Hebrew]. Chrys. in Phil. Serm. 1.〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Chrys. in Phil. Serm. 1.
- *Eph. 5. 2.
- †•utu•ae solicitatis praesagia. Bern.
